'90 Ranger Horn Problem

[ABSOLOOT LOONASEA]

My horns don't work, they just make a kind of a BUMP type noise instead if blowing. Neither my new aftermarket nor the original horns blow. Any ideas?

 

[Roert42]

The horn uses 12v+ and chassis ground to make the toots. Check the relay is clicking when the horn button is pressed, check for power at the power wire, check for good ground.

Could be bad ground or broken wire causing voltage drop or relay not closing all the way, ect.

 

[ABSOLOOT LOONASEA]

The horn uses 12v+ and chassis ground to make the toots. Check the relay is clicking when the horn button is pressed, check for power at the power wire, check for good ground.

Could be bad ground or broken wire causing voltage drop or relay not closing all the way, ect.

Using jumper wires, I tried to get them to work grounding to the battery and then getting current from the + post, but still getting just a "bump" sound. The old horns were working when I took them off the truck and my new horns have never been used 'til now.

 

[Curious Hound]

What's your battery voltage? If you give the device 12 volts and it doesn't work, it's a bad device or the battery can't sustain a load and is bad.

 

[ABSOLOOT LOONASEA]

What's your battery voltage? If you give the device 12 volts and it doesn't work, it's a bad device or the battery can't sustain a load and is bad.

The new horns work when i hook them straight to the battery but the old horns do not. I'm not getting anything when I press the horn button, I checked the fuse and it's good, can you tell me where the horn relay is? I can't find it in either of my repair manuals or in the owners manual. Battery is new by the way.

 

[Curious Hound]

I would expect that relay to be in the relay/fuse box in the engine compartment. I'll try to look at some diagrams later tonight. Did you check our tech library?

 

[ABSOLOOT LOONASEA]

I would expect that relay to be in the relay/fuse box in the engine compartment. I'll try to look at some diagrams later tonight. Did you check our tech library?

Thanx, I'll check it out. I tried doing a search for "horns" but it turned up nothing, don't know if I did the search right or not, I put '90 ranger horns in the search box but no good. Tried doing a couple more searches worded differently but again, no luck. I'm going to check the engine comp. fuse box right now.

 

[ABSOLOOT LOONASEA]

Thanx, I'll check it out. I tried doing a search for "horns" but it turned up nothing, don't know if I did the search right or not, I put '90 ranger horns in the search box but no good. Tried doing a couple more searches worded differently but again, no luck. I'm going to check the engine comp. fuse box right now.

There was nothing listed as horn relay in that box, I'll keep searching.

 

[ABSOLOOT LOONASEA]

There was nothing listed as horn relay in that box, I'll keep searching.

I just found an old post from RobbieD from around 2008, he was replying to a guy that had a 94 ranger and he told that guy that if he DIDN'T have cruise control that he would not have a horn relay. I'm thinking maybe that's the deal with my 90, I'm beginning to think I don't have one either, since I don't have cruise. What do you think? I only have three relays that I can find, one for the fuel pump, one for the EEC power and one for the AC unit.

 

[Curious Hound]

That's possible. I saw a diagram that indicated that. But didn't know what years it applied to. Do you have a multimeter? It would be nice to know what voltage you are getting at the horn when someone pushes the horn button. There could be a problem with the clockspring mechanism in the steering wheel.

 

[ABSOLOOT LOONASEA]

That's possible. I saw a diagram that indicated that. But didn't know what years it applied to. Do you have a multimeter? It would be nice to know what voltage you are getting at the horn when someone pushes the horn button. There could be a problem with the clockspring mechanism in the steering wheel.

Yeah, I'm kinda leaning that way myself, I'll check that out tomorrow. Thanx and have a good nite. Loonasea

 

[Roert42]

I second what Eric said. Check for voltage between the power wire at the horn and negative.

 

[Curious Hound]

Here is the diagram for my 93. Probably the same circuit. Some wire colors may be different. If you don't have cruise control, it's just 12volts from the fuse, through the slip ring (clockspring assembly) to the horn button, back through the slip ring, out to the horns and then a ground connection.

 

[RobbieD]

You can try cleaning the contacts, and checking the spring tension on the pins. Off the top of my head, I'm pretty sure that you'll need to pull the steering wheel. There's a disc with copper tracks, and spring-loaded pins which ride on these tracks. These can corrode or the copper tracks can actually wear through, with age. I've used spray contact cleaner, and a pencil eraser to polish them back to making good contact again. If the springs are shot or the tracks worn out, it may take finding better parts from a donor.

 

[ABSOLOOT LOONASEA]

Here is the diagram for my 93. Probably the same circuit. Some wire colors may be different. If you don't have cruise control, it's just 12volts from the fuse, through the slip ring (clockspring assembly) to the horn button, back through the slip ring, out to the horns and then a ground connection.

View attachment 68043

I think I found the problem by accident. I had one of the new horns hooked up with jumper wires to the battery and all I could get when I made contact with one of the wires was that bump sound again. I was already aggravated but then I just got plain ol' pissed off, called it a bad name and smacked it with a hammer and it started blowing. I unhook the wire (alligator clips), it stops blowing, then when I reconnect the wire I get the bump sound once more, I smack it again and it starts blowing. Hooked up the other new horn the same way and that horn does the same thing. So, both horns blow just fine and loud but I have to smack both of them to make them work. I hooked up an old horn from my Dodge van to the horn wire and grounded it and when I press the steering wheel the horn blows with each press of the steering wheel. So, the clock spring and everything is good to go, my old horns are no good any more and the new horns are apparently junk. I'm going to play with the new ones a little more to see if I can get them to work correctly, if not I'll have to get two more new ones.